Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-19


thing. 1t seemed as if she couldn't let
nae go, anyhow, though she was usually
very brave.
'But / cheered her up and laughed at
her fears as we'll as / could, and she help
ed me off with face that tried to smile.
And as / went out she said:
eff You must go, you must. But, Jim
and such a queer look came over her
do be careful at the curve mountain
CUT
II scarcely heard what she said, for
was already outside the door, and the
snow was blowing In my face like fun.
L was soon aboard my machine and back
ing into the station.
AT 10 O'Clock we turned on the steam
and started. 1t was a fearful night. I've
seen terrible weather in TIE mountains.
but never knew an engine to tremble in
the wind as she did that night We had
the right of way over all the other trains.
and were only to stop once for water.
So | opened the throttle and Just let her
so.
The mountains on winter night are
a good deal different from what thew be
on summer day, let me tell you. They
loom up twice as high, with their, snow
covered sides, and seem like big oium
giants standing guard over the valley.
The silence and desolatIon awe you and
1t didn't seem right to go shrieking and
steaming along the way We did that night
The storm had let loose all the evil
spirits in the air. and the wind swept
down with force that could be heard
above the noise of the train. 1t whistled
and yelled at the cab window, aud the
great trees rocked and seemed to hold
out their long arms in warning. Either
the wind and the nightor something
else had been depressing me all the way,
and as we got fairly among the noun
ta1ns L felt an awful weight of anxiety
on my mind. left my post in a minute
and looked anxiously over the machine,
wondering If there could be anything the
matter with her, though she was as
stanch and true always as the SUM- Ali
at once, under the gloom of the majestic
mountain sides, my wife's words came
back:
"'Be careful at the Curve Mountain
CUT
"'Oh, onsenser says T. I'm a fool. If
there was anything wrong the up train
two hours ago would have found it out
and signaled u.s.
"But, in spite of he, that BE careful at
the Curve Mountain cut kept ringing in
ny ears.
81 amt naturally superstitieus, and [
didn't know what to make of myself. And
to prove that 1 wasn't [ put on all the
steam, and the way We whizzed along was
a caution.
ga tall white birch on spur of the
mountain was landmark that showed
the curve cut. | determined to put her
through the cut at full speed, and put my
hand on the throttle to pull open the
valve, when-as true as I'm living man
my wife's voice whispered in my ear:
Not that one, Jim-the brake
''It startled me so, [ did not know what
/ was doing. And before / knew it had
opened the meeting house for all she was
worth. The train came to stand-stiii,
and before Dan Che was firing for me
them could ask question, I had jumped
off the cab and was out on the track.
''Not thing was out of place; every
rail secure, and the cut was all right as
far as could see.
"Idiots,' says [ to myself. so much
for nonsense; but it will cost you your
| place.
| ''The conductor and brakeman had
come out to SEE what was the matter; and,
more to avoid meeting them and owning
my silly fears than anything else, walk
ed on a little.
Gust around the curve was a great tree
trunk, blown across the track. Going
nearer, saw it wasn't b tree at ALL but
stick of timber and it was fastened down
to the rails!
IF Ia rushed ont as I intended to we
| should have been thrown down a preci-
pice hundreds of feet among the large
rocks.
II tell you my hair stood on end for
minute"
"What's up?' said the conductor, COM
ing up With the other boys.
'"Nothing, but that says I, pointing to
the track. In two minutes we would
| every one of US been down there on the
rocks-that is, our bodies would. reck-
on didn't pull her up any too quick
"Well, a more grateful set of men than
them same pompous, big Bostonians
were you never saw. And this watch, an
elegant gold one, too good for me-they
gave me. A peep into the jaws of
death puts rich and poor on the same
level.
"They wouldn't let me leave their
party, but took me on TO Montreal and
Quebec with them, and such time as I
had seeing the sights for few days!
'Mell glad to see me? Well, you can
guess. And more'n a month afterward
she said one day:
'"Such queer dream as L had about
you, jim. that night! / dreamed I was on
the engine with you, and we we're going
at frightful rate. Way IN the distance
could see big log on the track, but
you couldn't. And you started to open
the throttle and gofaster, but L cried.
'Not that one, Jim; the brake" And
then l woke up But my trains ready
and must go. Good by"